I'm thrilled to host another science fiction romance writer. I met Aurora through the Science Fiction Romance Brigade.
Let's get to know Aurora.
Please tell us about yourself.
My career in
science involves describing new discoveries for research articles. But, I’ve
imagined adventures in weird worlds for as long as I can remember. Last year, I
achieved my life-long ambition to publish novels. My published works include
science fiction and fantasy with romance and a sprinkle of humor. I was born in
the UK and live in Atlanta with my husband, a dog and two cats to sit on my
laptop. We have two sons away at college. My hobbies, besides reading and writing,
include outdoor activities like watching wildlife, hiking and canoeing.
What does your family think of
your writing?
They
tolerate my crazy interests. Some of them help me with covers or beta-reads.
How many books have you written?
Which is your favorite?
My
published books include three novels of 70,000-100,000 words, three novellas,
and two short stories. My favorite is the most recent release, Grand Master’s
Pawn, with its complex world and characters.
What do you enjoy most about
writing?
I
enjoy exercising my imagination to create adventures in new worlds and populate
them with interesting characters.
What do you enjoy most about
life?
I
enjoy many things: experiencing the natural world, new discoveries, imagining weird
stories, and inspiring people to succeed.
Where do you start when writing?
Research, plotting, outline, or...?
The
story begins with a picture in my mind of a scene or a character. Often, I have
an idea for the start and end of the story, although this may change once I
begin writing in earnest. Since I write science fiction and fantasy set in the
future on other worlds, I don’t need to start with research. Particular scenes
or events may need research. For example, I looked into the sounds of bullets
and treatment of wounds for a scene with a sniper.
What did you learn from writing
your first book?
I
was surprised to learn how long the editing phase can be. The awful edits can
take more time than composing the complete story.
Are your stories driven by plot
or character?
I
have an initial idea for a plot or setting, but the story is driven by the
interactions of the characters with each other and within their world. I’ve
learned that I write best when I have a clear vision of the main protagonists.
What two authors would we find
you reading when taking a break from your own writing?
Do
I have to limit it to two? For light reading, I’m likely to pick Andre Norton
or Georgette Heyer, and I reread Jane Austen’s books every year.
Tell us about your latest release.
My
latest release, Grand Master’s Pawn, is science fiction with a love story
between characters with paranormal powers. It is a mystery since the young
protagonist, the Pawn Violet, hides her own secret while hunting for the truth
about the Grand Masters. In this story, I’m channeling Lewis Carroll, Andre
Norton, Anne McCaffrey, Philip Jose Farmer and likely many other authors. A
touch of humor slips into my stories, often in the banter between the
characters or the awkward situations I stick them in. This story is Book 1 in a
trilogy, which will keep me busy for a few months.
Blurb
A thousand
years in the future, wars and portal failures disturb the fringes of the
galaxy. On Terra, twenty-two year old Violet Hunter seems an ordinary student
of the Space Academy, who dreams of exploring unknown planets. She applies to serve
as the pawn of one of the twelve Grand Masters, although her hidden talent of
empathy makes her ineligible. Violet has defied the prohibition against
psychics for half her life. Why should she stop now?
Isolation is
the penalty for a Grand Master’s great power because their touch is deadly to a
normal person. The Grand Master with the griffin avatar selected the girl with
the star-shaped birthmark in spite of her father’s dire prophesy. He is
suspicious about his disobedient pawn, yet he cannot deny the success of her
missions to strange planets where she finds more than he expected.
Violet seeks
the truth about the mysterious Grand Masters. Who or what are they? Do they threaten
or benefit civilization? While searching for answers, Violet does the
unthinkable. She makes a bargain with her obnoxious Grand Master and challenges
him to meet her face to face, risking her secret to discover his purpose. She
plunges into an impossible love and a world of intrigues. The vicious conflicts
propel her into flight from a terrible enemy and a desperate search for allies
to save her new found love.
Excerpt:
Finally,
Violet was led along the adjacent corridor to hear the instructions of her
Grand Master. She was eager to meet this important person who would guide her
through the missions on different planets. They stopped in front of a door
bearing the heraldic symbol of a griffin. Inside was a small unlighted chamber.
“Wait for
Grand Master.” The furry alien pushed her inside and closed the door firmly.
The room was
so dark, that at first, Violet could see nothing. Suddenly, two blue beams
emerged from the round eyes of a stone gargoyle and cast a weird light over the
walls of the small room. Very faintly, she sensed a distant masculine presence.
Violet blinked, and the gargoyle resolved into a winged griffin with blue eyes
and a cruel beak of a mouth. She guessed the griffin was an avatar for her
Grand Master, since she perceived no powerful entity inside the room. She felt
a thrill of anticipation as the eyes flared to a brighter blue.
A deep,
resonant voice spoke, “I am the Grand Master and you will serve as my pawn.”
“Yes, Grand
Master,” Violet said, refusing to show fear at the eerie, disembodied voice.
“What may I call you? Do you have a name?”
“You will call
me Grand Master,” the haughty voice held an unpleasant edge.
Violet resolved
to assert her independence, and asked indignantly, “Grand Master, do your pawns
have individual names? Or do you call them by numbers?”
The room
vibrated and psychic pressure built up against her. “You are insolent, Violet
Hunter!” the Grand Master growled.
Shivering at
the menace in his words, she stepped back against the wall, and instinctively
shielded her mind. Had she been too assertive? Of course, he knew her name from
the Academy records. His psychic power was impressive considering he was not
physically in the room. Unexpectedly, Violet sensed a faint drift of amusement,
the mental equivalent of a smile. She was unsure if it was her empathic talent,
or a glimpse he had permitted her.
“Hunter is a
good name for your vocation,” he remarked in a milder tone.
Violet
stiffened. He must never learn the truth. She hunted him.
His gruff
voice grew severe again, “I have taken a chance by selecting you. Remember, you
are on probation. You must prove yourself worthy to serve as my pawn.”
Sounds like a great story! Thanks for coming today, Aurora. One last question. Where can readers find you?
Media
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